YouTube Alternatives — 7 Popular Video Hosting and Sharing Platforms

You’ve made an ideal video. So where would you share it? Obviously you've thought of YouTube. This website has become the go-to solution for people who want to get their video in front of a large number of people.

You do, however, have a variety of other options. Check out these 7 video platforms that are great YouTube alternatives, which are suitable for both businesses and individuals.

Check out the longest YouTube video and how to download YouTube videos here.

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1. Brightcove

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Brightcove is a privately held company founded in 2004. This company only tends to work with video, and the platform is designed to help you create and share your experiences with the rest of the world.

Pros: Powerful Tools

If you pay a monthly fee, you will have access to:

  1. Tools for creation: You can add graphics, fade images together, integrate sound, and more on Brightcove.
  2. Analytics: With strong reporting, you’ll know if you’re targeting the right people.
  3. Sharing: Place your clip on Youtube, Twitter, and other similar platforms. You will not be required to export.

The Brightcove team will assist you in understanding how to use the platform and make the most of it. If you require additional assistance, consultants can assist you in determining how video fits into your overall business strategy.

Cost is a disadvantage.

Brightcove is a subscription-based tool, with monthly plans ranging from around $200 to $500. This is the most expensive option we looked into.

2. Dailymotion

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Dailymotion is a privately held video-sharing company based in France. Reporters dubbed the company “YouTube’s dark alter ego” at one point, owing to lax content standards that allowed videos to appear on Dailymotion that can never appear on YouTube. Now, the company is regarded as a viable alternative for businesses seeking to expand beyond YouTube.

Pros: It’s a free service with a quick signup process.

Membership in Dailymotion is free to anyone with an email address, a user id, and a confirmed date of birth can sign up. When connected to the internet, the interface resembles that of YouTube. You can watch videos, save your favorites, and even upload your own.

If you sign up as a free partner, you’ll be able to add watermarks and branding to your videos, as well as access to reporting tools. However, you’ll need to spend some money to use features like live streaming, push to social, and mobile posting.

Cons: Content Restrictions

Dailymotion videos have a time limit of 60 minutes. If you’re looking for a YouTube alternative with a variety of length options, this could be a major disadvantage.

You’ll also have to pay to share your Dailymotion videos on sites such As Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Dailymotion also does not allow users to create posts for the platform. You’ll simply host your videos somewhere else on this site.

3. Facebook

Facebook

This is also a YouTube alternative designed for businesses that want to expand their reach without investing a lot of money in the beginning. On Facebook, any business can build a page and share videos with their audience. However, unless you’re smart, your results may vary.

Pros: Make Use of Existing Tools

Chances are, your company already has a strong Facebook presence with fans who would like to see your posts. Log in with your mobile phone to shoot a live video that will be directed to your page. To download those videos again, you’ll need to have a third-party tool, but you can also try sharing a link to the particular video on your page.

Cons: Expect to Pay

Every customer is overloaded with data because every business has a Facebook page. To truly stand out, you’ll need to invest in the Facebook platform in order to get your content exposed to the people who count.

And, unless you’re only interested in live content, you’ll need to create your videos on some other platform. That could come at a cost.

4. Panopto

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Panopto was started in 2007 with the sole purpose of serving businesses and universities. Panopto, unlike YouTube, Facebook, and other popular websites, is not intended for anyone with a computer and a fondness for video. Instead, the founders created tools to assist enterprise organizations in creating and sharing videos with their target audiences.

Pros: Dependable Tools for Business Needs

Panopto makes it simple for businesses to create and post videos. Using mobile tools, you can shoot and share videos from your mobile phone.

However, the platform also includes tools that can be used for:

  1. Meetings:  Collaboration tools enable you to communicate with people who are thousands of miles away. You can even use tools to train employees in remote locations.
  2. Capture: Use the tools to capture a business talk or a classroom speech. That raw material has the potential to produce compelling video content.
  3. Accessibility:  You could also use the tools to caption your videos, ensuring that you meet federal accessibility standards.

Cons: Sharing necessitates downloads.

In most cases, Panopto will cost you around $50 per month. And those cost savings can come with some drawbacks. For example, most Panopto versions do not allow users to share directly to social channels. Instead, you must download your video and then re-upload it in the appropriate space.

5. Vimeo

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Vimeo is a popular option for small businesses looking to create polished videos without the use of expensive equipment. It’s a particularly inspired option for business officials who need to make a video but aren’t sure how to do it.

Pros: Get the Assistance You Require

The Vimeo platform includes drag-and-drop tools that allow you to quickly make videos, even if you have never shot an actual footage. You can also use the marketplace to find and hire freelancers to produce your videos.

A subscription also includes access to analytics, allowing you to ensure that your efforts are worthwhile. If it doesn’t, you can change your plans in a matter of minutes.

Cons: Limited assistance without payment

Vimeo has a starter pack for $8 each month, but to get some of the benefits discussed here, you’ll need to spend at least $50. If you’re sticking to a limited budget, this cost may be a concern.

6. Wistia

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Assume you have a vast number of video content to share with the world, and you do not even want them to be diverted to content that has nothing to do with you or your company. Wistia could be ideal for you. Sign up, build a collection of your content, and use email to remind people about your channel.

Pros: a great variety of sharing options

It’s great in the Wistia world to keep viewers on your channel while they only look at your content. You’ll collect email addresses from subscribers and use them to notify them to visit you frequently.

However, Wistia also allows users to share their video links on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can also copy your link and video thumbnail and share them via email, Instagram, your website, and other important channels.

Cons: There are only a few opportunities available without paying a fee.

Wistia provides a free version of the program, but it only allows you to create 3 free videos. To share 100 or more videos, you must sign up for the company’s “advanced” service for an undisclosed fee. Even the Pro plan has additional fees. If you make more than ten videos, you’ll be charged 25 cents per video every month.

Wistia also features in our article about the best private video hosting platforms.

7. GatherVoices

You’re obviously serious about media production if you’re looking for Vimeo or YouTube alternatives. GatherVoices makes it simple to collect, record, and start sharing user-generated content with a large number of people who make a difference. Our platform is user-friendly, making it simple to get started — and we integrate with video platforms such as Wistia, Brightcove, and Vimeo.

Alternatives to YouTube FAQs

Is Dailymotion safe to use?

Dailymotion, as among the most popular video sharing sites, is currently virus and malware-free.

Is it possible to upload Vimeo for free?

The free version of Vimeo allows for 500MB per week and 10 files per day; however, paid subscriptions to provide greater upload and storage limits. 

How does Brightcove help you make money?

Brightcove allows you to earn money by having your videos seen in a variety of ways. You can have Brightcove add adverts in your videos, and you can even select how the advertisements should look, and you can share advertising revenue with the company.

About the Author
Daniel Luke
Daniel is a web designer and developer. He has been a developer for the last 10 years working with various WordPress themes that allows him to compare and contrast different themes, understand the strengths and weaknesses to develop factual, real-world reviews. He is also a mobile app developer and technology reviewer. Over several years, he has developed his own mobile apps, both on Android and iPhone. This hands-on specialisation in mobile and web development allows him to be an authoritative voices when it comes to technology reporting.

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